Advertising-wagon.



Y Patented Apr; l, |902.- J. LEIGHTHAM.

ADVERTISING wAGoN. (Application led .fune 25, 1901.)

3 Sheets-Sheet l.

(No Model.)

flttozwu me Nonms Pmns co, Puoauwcx. wAsNINGTLw. n. c.

nu. 696,907. Patented Apr.- l, 1902.' J. LEIGHTHAM. ADVERTISING WAGON.'

'Application filed June 25', 1901.)

3 Sheets-Since# 2.

(Ilo Model.)

ma Nor-ums crans co.. How-urna., wAsNmarcN. n, c.

iNo. 696,907. 4 Patented Apr. l, D902. Y J. LEIGHTHAM. j

Anvennsms wAGoN.

(Application led June 25, 1,901.) (No Model.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

n. c. tu: mams #Evans co. PHoToLn'no.. wAsmNsToM.

UNITE-D STATES PATENT Ormea.`

JOSEPH LEIGHTI'IAM, OF READING, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF Tl-IREE- EIGI'ITHS TO CHARLES lV. KELLER, BENJAMIN F. PFLUM, VILLIAM K. KAUFFMAN, AND JOHN B. AMERSINGER, OF READING, PENNSYLVANIA.

ADVERTISING-WAGON.

SPECEFICATION forming part f Letters Patent No. 696,907, dated April 1, 1902.

Application filed June 25, 1901.

Y.To al?, whom it may concern.-

Beit known that I, JOSEPH LEIGHTHAM, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Reading, in the county of Berks and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Advertising-Wagons, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to ad vertisingwvagons,

1o and has for its main object the providing of an improved vehicle of this class in which the panoramic advertisingroll is mounted upon two rotary vertical columns, on one or other of which alternately the exposed intermediate portion of the advertising sheet is rolled up or unrolled, this rolling or unrolling being effected either automatically by the movement of the vehicle or by means of a suitable motor mounted on the vehicle or by zo hand, as may be most convenient under different circumstances.

The invention is fully described in connection with the accompanying drawings, and the novel features are pointed out in the subjoined claims.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a vehicle embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a-front end elevation showing the awning in position with 3o one side projected laterally at the bottom by the pivoted brace. Fig. 4 is a partial rear end view showing the rear axle.

The bed of the vehicle, as shown, is formed by longitudinal beams 2 and 2, preferably of 35 I-section, to which are secured transverse plates 3 and 3, upon which the front and rear rotary columns 4 and 4, respectively, are mounted, as hereinafter described, and a fixed elevated platform 5 between the baseplates G and 6 of said rotary columns. The

running-gear upon which the bed of the vehicle is carried comprises the rear wheels 7, which are fixed to a rotary rear axle 8, which is mounted, as shown in Fig. 4, in a trans- 4 5 verse bearing-sleeve 9, carried from the'beams 2 and 2 by braces 10-and rear springs 1l, the latter being clipped to the sleeve and secured to a rear cross-beam V12 under said beams. Longitudinal bars 13 on either side connect 5o this rear-axle sleeve with a front axle 14, the

Serial No. 66,019. (No model.)

main portion of which is fixed to frontsprings 15 and 15, similarly secured to another crossbeam 16 under the front ends of the longitudinal beams 2 and 2. This front axle is` provided with pivoted ends 17 and 17, upon which the, front wheels are mounted, so asto be capable of a swinging movement on the fixed portion 14 of the axle, as is commonly done in automobile construction to provide for the steering of the vehicle. The steel'- ing-lever 18 indicated at the front end of the vehicle may be operatively connected with the pivoted ends 17 and 17 of the axle by any ordinary mechanism, which is not shown, as it forms no part of my invention and is well known in vehicle construction.

The rotary columns 4 and 4are preferably formed of wrought-iron pipes, each provided with top and bottom heads 19 and 20, secured to a central shaft 21 in each column, the upper end of which latter projects above the column and the lower end of which extends belowit, as shown, passing through a circular base-plate 6, secured to the bottom head of the column and serving to support and guide the panoramic roll of canvas or other material which is rolled from one to the other of the two columns, as hereinafter described.

The depending end of each shaft 21 has secured to it a short distance below the baseplate 6. of the column a bearing-plate or disk i 23, which is provided on its lower surface with a circularly-grooved bearing-ring 24, forming, in connection with a similarly-grooved bottombearing-plate 3 on the longitudinal beams 2 and 2, a raceway for a series of balls arranged to form an antifriction step-bearing for the column. On this transverse-plate 3 are also fixed a circular series of bearing-arms 26, arranged around the upper bearing-plate 23, so as to overhang the edge of the latter, and each provided with an antifriction-roller 27, against which the upper surface of the bearing-plate 23 contacts when the column is slightly deflected from its normal vertical position. By means of this arrangement of bearings for the columns I am enabled to maintain them in practically vertical position and to rotate them, as required, with a minimum of friction and operating-power.

The mech- ICO anism shown for rotating these roll-columns provides, as already stated, iirst, for operation automatically from the rear axle while the vehicle is in movement; second, for operation by a suit-able motor mounted on the vehicle, and,third,by the-operator. This mechanism comprises, as shown, a bevel-gear 27a, fixedV to the lower end of leach vertical shaft 2l, a-longitudinal shaft 28,' mounted in bearings under the bed of the vehicle and provided at its opposite ends with bevel-gears 29 and 30, either one of which is adapted to be thrown into engagement or out of engagement with the adjacent bevel-gear 27a by a longitudinal movement of the shaft 28, and a transverse operating-shaft 3l to one side of the longitudinal shaft 28, having a bevel-gear 32 at the inner end thereof adapted to mesh with either one of the train bevel-gears 33 and 33, carried by the longitudinal shaft 2S about midway of its length, or to be out of gear with both, depending upon whether the said longitudinal shaft 2S is moved forward or backward or held in inoperative central position by means of the column or drum-controlling lever 34 and its connecting-rod 35 and arm 3G to the said shaft.-

The transverse operating-shaft 3l extends laterally beyond the bed of the vehicle and has its outer end adapted to receive a crank 37; by means of which the rotary columns or roll-dru ms 4 and 4-may be operated by hand, if desired, when the vehicle is at rest. When the vehicle is in motion, however, I provide for automatically turning this shaft 3l from the rotary rear axle of the vehicle. This latter, as shown, is provided with a sprocketwheel 38, xed thereto at a convenient point in its length, the fixed bearing-sleeve 9 for the axle being divided at its central portion and formed with a yoke connection 39, which allows of free rotation of the sprocket-wheel, and this sprocket-wheel is operatively connected by a driving-chain 40'to a sprocketwheel41, loosely mounted on the shaft 3l, but adapted to rotate the latter with' it when the clutch-hub 42,feathered to said shaft,is moved laterally into engagement therewith by means of the lever 43 and the intermediate connecting-rod 44 and bell-crank 45.

So faras has been thus far described no provision has been mentioned for making the vehicle self-propelling, and the rotary columns have been described as operated either by'hand, as when the vehicle is at rest, or automatically from the rear axle when the vehicle is in motion. In a very simple manner, however, I provide for utilizing the mechanism already fully described in connection with a suitable motor mounted on the vehicle, so as to propel the latter thereby ordirectly operate the roll-columns. Any suitable kind of motor, located as indicated at 46, may be employed, it being arranged to drivea motor-shaft 47. As shown, the motorshaft is in turn arranged to drive the transverse operating-shaft 3l through a countervshaft 48, adapted to considerably reduce the number of revolutions of the operating-shaft relative to the speed of the motor, sprocket wheels and chains 49 and 50, respectively, being preferably employed to transmit motion to and from the counter-shaft'48. chain 50v drives a sprocket-wheel 5l, loosely 'mounted on the operating-shaft 31, which Yof which are secured respectively, to the front and rear rotary columns, a series of suitable advertisements or exhibits painted orsecured thereon, the fabric being wound in a roll from one column onto the other, and then, by re- Versing the rotation of the roll-columns, back again to the first, this being done with equall ease and satisfaction whether the bed upon which the vertical roll-columns are rotatably mounted is lixed or movable and inthe latter case whether it be pulled, as by horses, or propelled by a motor forming part of the complete structure, as above particularly described. In the latter case my entire mechanism is utilized as follows: When the motor is in operation, the counter-shaft 4S and loose sprocket-wheel 5l on the operating-shaft 3l are continuously rotated. merely to operate by power the advertisingpanorama without moving the Vvehicle upon which it is mounted, instead of requiring the operator to do this by means of the crank 37 the lever 56 is moved to throw the clutch-hub 52 into engagement with the normally loose sprocket-wheel 5l, thus rotating the shaft 3l. The axle driving (or driven) sprocket 4l is left loose on the shaft, so as to have no eect upon the rearaxle, and the central longitudinal shaft 28 is moved forward or backward, as the case may be, to throw it into engagement with the bevel-wheel 32 of the operating-shaf t 3l and also with one or other lof the columnshafts 2l or 2l to rotate the latter, and so roll' is moved independently of the motor the sprocket-wheel 5l will be disengaged from the shaft 3l, which will then be rotated by the rear axle 8 through the chain 40, (instead of itself driving said axle, as previously de- TheV If it be desired- In case it be desired to' IOO IIO

scribed,) and the panorama will be automat-` ically operated in one direction or the other or left at rest, depending upon the position to which the central longitudinal shaft Sfis moved by the lever 34, the middle position of the latter leaving it entirely out of en-V gagement with theshaft 8l. Thus, it will be understood, the operation of both the panorama mechanism and the propulsion of the vehicle are under absolute and easycontrol, each being readily operated independently or jointly in the particular manner desired under different conditions.

In order to provide proper protection from the weather under different circumstances, to the panoramaitself, to the platform forming part of the apparatus, and to interested inquirers who may desire tomake close inspection or inquiries, I have devised a'roofawning arrangement specially suited tothe.

peculiar construction and uses of my improved apparatus, which I will now describe.

As already stated, the columnshafts 2l and.

:Zlare extended some distance above `the rollcolulnns land 4, the purpose being to make them serve as supports for the roof and awn;

ing. The framework for the roof comprises a central longitudinal bar 60, preferably extending the full length of the vehicle, with inclined rafters 6l secured to said bar GO,

the whole supported upon collars 62 63 on the two, column-shafts 2l, as shown. The shafts 2lV are free to rotate while also serving as supports for the roof, and the latter,in addition to its main function of in turnsupportf ingthe roof covering or canvas 54, also serves as a distance-brace between the columns to prevent bending or leaningof the same toward each other, due to the weight and pull of the rolled advertising fabric, thus reliev;

ing to a considerable extent the upper rollbearings 26 at thebases of the columns. The caves of the roof Vare preferably formed by longitudinal bars 65 65, connected to the rafters at the opposite ends of thelatter, and eX- tension-bars 66 6G, dac., from the raftersare shown at either side asireaching down andsecured to the floor of the vehicle, so that the canvas roof-covering, having its side edges suitably weighted and supportedby longitudinal Astrips or bars ,67,1 may be supported thereon when it is lowered to form a side closure, as indicated to the left of Fig.3, to-

capable of being laid flat thereon or raised,i

as indicated, to support the canvas."

When, however, it is merely-de-4 It will be readily seen I am able to provide a very large advertising surface, readily amounting to eight or ten thousand square feet, owing to the fact that both sides of the canvas can be utilized for this purpose, s o as to be seen at the same time from either side of `the wagon, as well as atboth ends. .mits of making arelatively small charge per This perfoot of advertising-surface, which is a great advantage. It will be understood also that my apparatus may be adapted for use independently of any vehicle mechanism for stationary use, as in show-windows. While any desired form of motor may be employed, I prefer ordinarily to use steam as mostsatisfactory for general use. I donot wish,l1ow

ever, to unduly limit myself tothe preferred construction specifically described, which may be readily modified in many respects if desired.

What I claim isl. The combination-with the bed, ofthe .i

front and rear vertical roll-columns,centrally located transversely,the bearings on thebed for said columns, shaft extensions ofthe columns below Vsaid bearings, the horizontal shaft under said bed between said shaftextensions, the transverse operating-shaft arranged to engage said 4horizontal shaftto r0- tate the latter in one direction or the other,- and mechanism for throwing said horizontal shaft-into rotating engagement with one orV other of said shaft extensions, substantially as set forth.

2. TheV combination with thebedandthe; Vehicle running-gearcomprising a rotary rear axle, 4of the frontl and rear vertical roll-colf.

nmns located centrally thereon transversely,

the bearings on the bed for said columns,`

shaft extensions of the?V columns `below said bearings,the horizontal shaft under saidtbedV between said` shaft extensions, the transverse operating-shaft arranged to engage said horizontal shaft to rotate the latterin one direction or the other, mechanism for throwing said horizontal shaft into rotating; engagement with one or other of the columns,and

operatingimechanism for said transverseshaft connectingwith said rotary axle, sub; stantially as set forth. 1 u i I 3. The combination with the `bed and the column bearing-ring fixed thereto, of the roll-` column having a centralpshaft extending below the base-plate thereof, a bearing-disk fixed to said shaft extension below said basef plate, a ball-race formed in the meeting faces.

of said fixed bearing-ring and rotary bearin g-disk, and guide-rollers mounted in brackl ets fixed to the bed and overhanging said bearing-disk, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination with the bed and `the column bearing-ring fixed theretmofthe roll-A column having a central shaft extending loefv low the base thereof, andV above the roll-columns, operating mechanismfor-said roll-columns located beneath the bed and arranged,

to engage said shaft extensions, and a roof-Y ICO IIO

frame mounted upon said upward extensions of the eolumn-shafts and serving to maintain a uniform spread of the columns and thereby relieve the bottom bearings of the latter substantially as set forth.

5. The Combination with the bed and the two vertical roll-colti mns rotatably `mounted thereon and having central shafts with upward extensions above the columns, of a rooffrarning comprising inclined rafters loosely mounted upon said shaft extensions,and horizontal purlin-bars connecting` said looselymounted rafters to form a rigid roof-frame between the column-shafts supporting the same, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination with the bed and the two vertical roll-columns rotatably mounted 

